1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coffeemaker and more particularly to a unique valve for controlling the amount of heated brewing water that is permitted to flow through ground coffee within a coffee basket to thereby control the strength of the brewed coffee.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of electric coffeemakers it is well known that the strength of brewed coffee can be controlled by regulating the amount of heated brewing water that flows through the grounds in a coffee basket and by regulating the amount of heated brewing water that is by-passed or diverted around the coffee grounds directly to a brewed coffee container.
In a prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,068,777 to Pedalino dated Dec. 18, 1962, there is disclosed a coffee percolator having a central by-pass tube 50 for permitting some heated brewing water that flows over the top of a percolator tube 26 to flow back to the lower portion of the coffee pot without flowing through the ground coffee 44 located within a coffee basket 48. Some of the brewing water which percolates from the top of tube 26 flows onto an apertured spreader plate 58, through ground coffee 44 to extract coffee from the ground coffee, and through a perforated bottom 48 of the coffee basket into the lower portion of the coffee pot where it naturally mixes with the water that has been diverted through the by-passage 50. A sight glass valve 70 is rotatably mounted within a cover 66 of the coffee pot for controlling the relative amount of heated brewing water that flows through the by-pass passage 50 and through the ground coffee 44. It can be appreciated that by adjusting the height of the sight glass valve 70 above the spreader plate 58, the amount of heated water directed into the by-pass tube 50 is regulated in order to regulate the strength of the brewed coffee.
In a prior patent to Bender U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,527 dated Aug. 1, 1967 a drip coffeemaker is provided with overflow or by-pass holes 46 for permitting brewing water to flow to a brewed coffee container without flowing through ground coffee within a basket 16. A valve 26 is provided for controlling the discharge of hot water from the reservoir.
This invention is concerned with such electric coffeemaker brew controls, and particularly, to an improved simplified brew control construction for a drip coffeemaker.
It is a primary object of my invention to provide an improved brew control which may be readily attached to a heated water spreader that may be conveniently operated to select a strong, medium or mild coffee brew strength.
It is a further object of my invention to provide a low cost brew strength control having relatively few parts which may be readily manufactured at relatively low cost.
It is another object of my invention to provide a simplified brew control which may be readily removed from a spreader plate and a coffee basket for cleaning, and conveniently reassembled to the spreader plate and a coffee basket without the use of tools.